Nested top-level CLASSES, Member classes, Local classes, Anonymous classes Nested top-level classes- If you declare a class within a class and specify the static modifier, the compiler treats the class just like any other top-level class. Any class OUTSIDE the declaring class accesses the nested class with the declaring class name acting similarly to a package. eg, outer. Inner. Top-level inner classes implicitly have access only to static variables. There can also be inner interfaces. These are of the nested top-level variety.

Member classes – Member inner classes are just like other member methods and member variables and access to the member class is restricted, just like methods and variables. This means a public member class acts similarly to a nested top-level class. The primary difference between member classes and nested top-level classes is that member classes have access to the specific INSTANCE of the enclosing class.

Local classes – Local classes are like local variables, specific to a block of code. Their visibility is only within the block of their declaration. For the class to be useful beyond the declaration block, it would need to implement a more publicly available interface. Because local classes are not members, the MODIFIERS public, protected, private, and static are not usable.

Anonymous classes – Anonymous inner classes extend local inner classes one level further. As anonymous classes have no name, you cannot provide a CONSTRUCTOR.

Nested top-level classes, Member classes, Local classes, Anonymous classes Nested top-level classes- If you declare a class within a class and specify the static modifier, the compiler treats the class just like any other top-level class. Any class outside the declaring class accesses the nested class with the declaring class name acting similarly to a package. eg, outer. Inner. Top-level inner classes implicitly have access only to static variables. There can also be inner interfaces. These are of the nested top-level variety.

Member classes – Member inner classes are just like other member methods and member variables and access to the member class is restricted, just like methods and variables. This means a public member class acts similarly to a nested top-level class. The primary difference between member classes and nested top-level classes is that member classes have access to the specific instance of the enclosing class.

Local classes – Local classes are like local variables, specific to a block of code. Their visibility is only within the block of their declaration. For the class to be useful beyond the declaration block, it would need to implement a more publicly available interface. Because local classes are not members, the modifiers public, protected, private, and static are not usable.

Anonymous classes – Anonymous inner classes extend local inner classes one level further. As anonymous classes have no name, you cannot provide a constructor.